UPPER DUBLIN — Students at Jarrettown Elementary School got to see art come to life as they journeyed back in time to the late 19th century during their art classes earlier this month.

The weeklong traveling art exhibit focused on the works of Mary Stevenson Cassatt and the impressionist period of art in France.

The art room at Jarrettown was transformed to fit the time period as large banners of Cassatt’s works along with those of other well-known impressionist painters were displayed. Flowers, fine china and even period costumes on loan from the Michener Museum in Doylestown were also on display to help re-create the time period.

Jarrettown art teacher Sara Farrell herself got in on the act, as she dressed from head to toe in period costume and welcomed students, in French, into her classroom.

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Farrell explained the time period, Cassatt and the impressionist style of art to students; had them try on some costumes to make them feel like real painters of the time; and showed them various samples of different impressionist paintings. Students seemed to enjoy watching their classmates try on the period clothing and had lively discussions of what they thought was happening in each painted scene they were shown.

This year marks the fifth year the art program at Jarrettown has held such an exhibit, beginning with the works of Vincent Van Gogh and last year focusing on Asian painter Katsushika Hokusai. Farrell said this year she wanted students to learn about an important female artist and chose Cassatt because of her ties to Philadelphia.

According to Farrell, the exhibit is funded through a grant by the Upper Dublin Education Foundation and through the proceeds from the online student art gallery Artsonia.com. Farrell said Artsonia allows parents to purchase their student’s work and 20 percent of proceeds benefit the student’s school. The funds from Artsonia were used to contact the Michener for the costumes and other materials, while Jarrettown teachers offered plants, hats and other materials to help sell the exhibit to students, she said.

Farrell told students the impressionist style was very different from what people were used to seeing at the time but soon became very popular.

She said she chose the impressionist movement to help students understand the value in looking for multiple solutions to any problem in life.

“In every other class, this is the answer,” she said. “I want them to see there are 100 different ways to do something. Why do I have to do it that way?”

“Sara does such an incredible job,” said Margaret Place, Jarrettown principal, adding lessons were tailored to meet the grade and skill level of the students. She said Farrell “wanted to bring art to life for students.”

Farrell said the exhibit ties in nicely, because the fifth-grade class began studying the impressionist period the following week.